Schutt is leaving “to pursue other opportunities and to spend more time with family,” Walker’s office said in a statement. It did not say what those opportunities might be. Schutt played a key role in helping pass Walker’s three state budgets and his legislation repealing collective bargaining for most public employees.

Schutt’s replacement effective Sept. 4 will be Rich Zipperer, who had been deputy chief of staff since 2012.

Walker expressed gratitude to Schutt, who became chief of staff 10 months into Walker’s first term in 2011.

“He will be greatly missed. Eric has always displayed great integrity and strength in leadership. … He is highly-respected, solution-oriented, and a great example of what it means to be an exceptional leader,” Walker said.

In other promotions announced Thursday: Jocelyn Webster will step up from communications director to deputy chief of staff for communications; Cindy Polzin will become deputy chief of staff for budget, legislative and intergovernmental affairs; senior adviser Matt Moroney was named deputy chief of staff for operations; and Katie Ignatowski will move up from deputy to chief legal counsel.